As I’m stopped at a stoplight at an intersection on McFarland Street, the green arrow appears on the light. I wait for the car in front of me to turn, and before I can take my foot off the brake, the honking behind me drowns out the podcast on my radio. I think to myself, “I can’t remember the last time I used my car’s horn, other than the deer that jumped across the road in my hometown last week.”

For those of us who grew up below the Mason-Dixon Line, it is a common phenomenon to clash Southern hospitality with Northern attitudes.

Our driving style is one of many ways differences in cultural and habitual norms show up when examining where someone comes from. What some of us consider “common courtesies” are not so common for many UA students. The University of Alabama is a blend of identities that emerges not only in the United States, but internationally as well. Beginning Fall 2023 58.3% of students came from other statesAnd 3% internationally.

While attending an SEC school does involve some adjustment, such as changing vocabulary, dressing for the climate, or changing your appearance, the way we interact with one another is something that has been ingrained in us since childhood.

The way we talk, the way we dress, the way we drive—there are certain traits and behaviors that are clear indicators of whether someone is from an area below or above the Bible Belt. Perhaps most significant is the way we treat each other. While it is easy to make fun of and tease people who have different life experiences than we do, there are significant benefits to trying to learn from our neighbors who may not live so close.

When it comes to etiquette, both the North and the South have their own distinctive style, shaped by historical, cultural and social influences.

William Ferris, a folklorist at the University of North Carolina, tells StarNews that the hospitality of the South might be a way to hide his anger.

“Manners are often a way of keeping your distance and keeping your distance. When someone is being polite, you better be careful and consider what that politeness hides.”

Studies also show that Southerners tend to react negatively (or even violently) to conflictsuch as being hit by a car than their northern counterparts. These behavioral patterns are not only a cultural norm, but also a means of self-defense. By interacting in a mindful or polite manner, one promotes friendly exchanges and prevents potentially threatening situations from arising.

The rules of “Southern etiquette” are by no means universal. While someone who interacts differently than you may seem rude to you, it’s likely that person comes from an area where etiquette doesn’t have as much social significance as it does in the South. The way Southerners greet each other at the grocery store and hold the door for each other at the gas station are etiquettes that not all of us grew up with.

While you may not be used to hearing a horn in traffic, or you may be surprised to hear the word “y’all” in conversation, this crossing and mixing of cultures is happening. The exchange of different ideas and lifestyles contributes to what is considered a lifestyle on campus. Interacting with people from other places makes us more well-rounded and gives us a broader perspective outside of the regions we are familiar with.